Softener dispenser for washing machines



Dec. 28, 1965 c. ZIEGLER SOFTENER DISPENSER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed April 24, 1963 ism INVENTOR. 100/5 6. Z/6L 5/? BY United States Patent 3,225,574 SOFTENER DISPENSER FOR WASHING MACHINES Louis C. Ziegler, 5 Skyline Drive, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Filed Apr. 24, 1963, Ser. No. 275,407 6 Claims. (Cl. 68-407) This invention relates to washing machines employing reciprocating and spinning components in the process of washing clothes arranged therein and in their environment. More particularly, the invention deals with an attachment adapted to be fixed to one of the components and containing a powdered, granular or liquid water softener adapted to be discharged from the attachment in the spinning cycle of the component through the action of centrifugal force, being retained in a stored position in the device during the spinning cycle and then discharged from the device when the component is brought at rest and prior to or during the rinsing cycle of operation of the washer.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character defined having adjustable means for mounting on washer components of different sizes.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate part are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the casing of a washer, diagrammatically illustrating an agitator centrally thereof and showing one of my improved dispenser devices mounted on the agitator, the device being shown in side elevation.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 detached and illustrating the normal storage of the softener in one compartment and indicating a dot-dash line transfer of the softener to another compartment, the section being on the line 22 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 3 is a section on the br oken line 33 of FIG. 2, with part of the construction broken away.

My improved dispenser forming the subject matter of this invention is adapted for use in conjunction with washing machines of various types and kinds employing agitating and spinning components and, to generally portray one adaptation and use, I have shown at 10 one of my devices mounted on an upper cylindrical extension 11 of an agitator 12 of a washing machine, the latter operating in a tub or casing 13 and at 14 is diagrammatically illustrated a closure for the open top of the casing 13.

The dispenser 10 is shown in enlarged sectional detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing and comprises a casing part 15 and an insert part 16, both preferably formed of plastic material and suitably cemented together. The casing part comprising side and end walls and a bottom wall, is open at the upper end and the side and end Walls are recessed, as seen at 17, to receive a top plate 18 of the insert 16, which forms a closure for the top of the casing. The plate 18 includes an upwardly extending tubular portion 19, forming an admission port for insertion of softeners into the casing. The tubular extension include a closure cap 20. Extending upwardly from the bottom wall portion 21 of the casing 15 is an upwardly inclined partition wall 22 integral with the side walls and flared with respect to one end wall. The wall 22 forms within the casing a primary storage chamber 23 for any suitable softener. In illustrating one adaptation and use, the softener is diagrammatically illustrated by the section portion 24, which can, in some instances, be a powdered or granular material of any well-known products of this type and kind.

Extending from the lower portion of the wall 22 is a supplemental downwardly inclined bottom wall 25, which is directed to a transverse discharge opening 26, partially formed by downwardly contracted wall portions 27, as clearly noted in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

The insert 16 has a perpendicular Wall portion 28 abutting an end wall and side walls of the casing 15 and extending from 28 is an inwardly and downwardly inclined partition wall 29 fitting snugly between the side walls and extending in the direction of the wall 22. The wall 29 terminates short of said wall to form a transfer passage 30, placing the chamber 31, partially formed by the wall 29, in communication with a discharge chamber 32 of the device, which chamber is primarily located below wall 29 and has the opening 26 therein. In this connection, it will also be apparent that the partition wall 22 terminates short of the plate 18 or the top Wall of the casing to form a transfer passage 33 between the chamber 23 and the chamber 31, so that the material 24, in the use of the device, can be transferred from 24 to 31 by centrifugal action and the temporary storage of 24 in the chamber 31 is indicated by the dot-dash line 24' in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

The bottom wall 21 of the casing 15 has an upwardly extending bearing portion 34, in which a threaded pin 35 has a drive fit, as diagrammatically illustrated at 36. In threaded engagement with the pin 35 is a nut 37 for adjustably clamping a plurality of gripper arms 38 in predetermined adjusted position. Each of the arms 38 are of the same construction and three of these arms are preferably employed. However, the brief description of one arm will be applicable to the three arms. Each arm has an elongated aperture 39 at one end, in which the pin 35 is arranged. The other end portion of each arm has a depending gripper 40, preferably with a tooth-like or roughened inner surface 41 to establish a firm grip upon its support, such as the cylinder 11, as diagrammatically noted in FIG. 1 of the drawing. As these supports 11 vary in size in different machines, adjustability of the members 38 is desirable, so that one device can be applied to washing machines of many types and kinds.

In the use of the device, the same is attached to the support, such as the cylinder 11, and the cap 20 is removed and the liquid or powdered softener is placed in the chamber 23, as diagrammatically illustrated; whereupon, the cap 20 is replaced and the cycle of operation will be substantially as follows.

In the first stages of operation of the machine, the agitator 12 is simply agitated or reciprocated back and forth during the washing or cleaning cycle of the machine. Upon completion of this operation, the machine then automatically goes into a spinning cycle. During this cycle of operation, the material 24 is transferred from the chamber 23 to the chamber 31, as diagrammatically illustrated by the dot-dash lines 24'. The material will stay in the chamber 31 during the entire spinning cycle and in coming at rest and preparatory to the rinsiing cycle the material positioned at 24' is automatically transferred into the chamber 32 of the casing and out through the discharge opening 26 for performing its desired softening action during the rinsing cycle of operation of the machine.

By virtue of the simplicity and economy in the construction of the device, devices of this type and kind can be adapted and used extensively by everyone having washing machines which are not otherwise equipped with automatically actuated means for introducing softeners during the complete cycle of operation of the machine. The present device, in other Words, automatically converts washing machines into what would be equivalent to the machines equipped with the built-in softener dispenser and, accordingly, the operator of an otherwise standard-type of machine does not have .to be on hand to apply a softener material to the machine at the part cular cycle where introduction of this material is desirable, but can leave the machine for performing its complete function and operation and, in this manner, considerable time is saved by the operator. 7

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A softener dispenser device for washing machines, said device comprising a casing having side and end walls, a top wall and bottom wall portions, the casing having means dividing the same into a primary storage chamber, a second storage chamber and a discharge chamber, means for mounting the device in connection with a support spinning during the spinning cycle of the washing machine, whereby softener material initially placed in the primary storage chamber will through action of centrifugal force be transmitted to said second chamber and on completion of a spinning cycle be automaticaL 1y transferred to the discharge chamber, said discharge chamber having a discharge aperture, said first named means comprising two spaced angularly disposed partition walls in the casing, one of said partition walls extending between side walls of the casing and upwardly from a bottom wall portion and flared with respect to one end wall of the casing and partially forming the primary chamber, and the other of said partition walls extending between the side walls of the casing and being downwardly flared with respect to the other end wall of the casing and inclined in the direction of the first partition wall and partially forming said second chamber.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein length of the partition walls in the casing of the device form transfer passages between the primary and secondary chambers and between the secondary chamber and said discharge chamber.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said top wall includes an admission port arranged directly above the primary chamber for depositing softener material into said chamber, and a closure member for said admission port.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said second named means comprises means adjustably supported on a wall of the casing to engage supports of different sizes.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said last named means comprises a plurality of gripper arms having gripper end portions extending angularly to ends of said arms.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the top wall of the casing of the device comprises an insert part mounted on the side and end walls of the casing, and said second named partition wall being integral with said insert part.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,450,732 4/1923 Mueller 248-2262 2,022,220 11/ 1935 Snyder 68-54 2,447,755 8/ 1948 Kirkland 68-54 X 2,535,563 12/1950 Boyer 248-2262 X 2,792,701 5/1957 Bochan 68-17 2,949,025 8/1960 Tingley 68-17 2,973,636 3/1961 Devery 68-17 2,982,120 5/1961 Pelensky 68-17 X 3,091,108 5/1963 Martin 68-17 IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SOFTENER DISPENSER DEVICE FOR WASHING MACHINES, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A CASING HAVING SIDE AND END WALLS, A TOP WALL AND BOTTOM WALL PORTIONS, THE CASING HAVING MEANS DIVIDING THE SAME INTO A PRIMARY STORAGE CHAMBER, A SECOND STORAGE CHAMBER AND A DISCHARGE CHAMBER, MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE DEVICE IN CONNECTION WITH A SUPPORT SPINNING DURING THE SPINNING CYCLE OF THE WASHING MACHINE, WHEREBY SOFTENER MATERIAL INITIALLY PLACED IN THE PRIMARY STORAGE CHAMBER WILL THROUGH ACTION OF CENTRIFUGAL FACE BE TRANSMITTED TO SID SECOND CHAMBER AND ON COMPLETION OF A SPINNING CYCLE BE AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO THE DISCHARGE CHAMBER, SAID DISCHARGE CHAMBER HAVING A DISCHARGE APERTURE, SAID FIRST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING TWO SPACED ANGULARLY DISPOSED PARTITION WALLS IN THE CASING, ONE OF SAID PARTITIN WALLS EX- 